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Green Chili Pork Stew over Tomatillo Rice

Green Chili Pork Stew is thick and rich in flavor with a deliciously warm kick. It can be made in a crockpot or simmered on the stove. Either way, you’re going to love this spicy pork stew. Served over Tomatillo rice makes it a complete meal.

Poblano Pork Stew over Tomatillo Rice

Green Chili Pork Stew is one of those recipes that I created on the fly. I wasn’t quite sure what I was going for, but what I ended up with is an amazing thick pork stew that’s become one of our favorite recipes.

I had a can of tomatillos in my cupboard that I’d bought for a recipe that I wanted to try.

By the time I got around to it, I couldn’t remember where I saw the recipe or what it even was!

Do you do this? Is kitchen ADD a thing?

I put this can to one amazing use, and I’m 100% sure that they’re just as delicious (or more so) in this easy Pork Stew recipe than in the recipe that hasn’t resurfaced.

Cooking in layers and giving each step it’s own love and attention and really makes a big difference when it comes to flavor.

Poblano Pork Stew over Tomatillo Rice

Helpful Tips

  • This pork and green chili stew recipe can be a little time consuming so you could put this recipe (minus the rice) in a crockpot and just let it cook away while you’re at work or chasing after the family.
  • Spicy Pork Stew freezes very well in an air-tight container.
    • Tomatillo rice can be mixed into the pork stew and frozen together or frozen separately.

What kind of Green Chili’s work in Green Chili Pork Stew!

I used Poblano Chile peppers. Poblano peppers are a mild green pepper. You can also use an Anaheim Chile or Hatch Green Chili. They are similar in heat.

The heat of green chiles is rated by “Scoville Heat Units” The higher the rating the hotter the chile. You can have two of the same peppers and they can vary in heat.

Some chiles are rated over 1,000,000! The green chili’s in this recipe is 500-2500.

Feel free to throw in a couple of jalapeno peppers for a little more spice. Jalapenos are rated 2500-8000 but are a smaller pepper. Like most peppers, most of their heat is in the seeds and ribs. Remove them if you don’t want a lot of heat or keep them in if you like it spicy.

Do you have to remove green chile pepper skins?

If you don’t roast the green chili pepper, you don’t have to remove the skin.

Roasting the pepper blisters the pepper and creates a paper-like skin. It’s edible but the texture isn’t desirable.

Roasting peppers does deepen the green chile flavor and while I didn’t do it in this recipe, I did in our Pulled Pork Green Chili Stew.

The best pork stew meat:

I used a pork shoulder, also referred to as a pork butt. I trimmed most of the fat from the meat but love the flavor this cut of meat gives to my pork recipes.

What goes with Pork and Green Chili Stew?

I tied this meal together by serving the Green Chili Pork over some Tomatillo rice. The instructions listed here are for the stove-top. I’ve since developed a Tomatillo Rice Instant Pot recipe.

Our Quick Black Bean recipe would be amazing too!

Ancho tortilla straws are so fun. I love using these over the pork stew like you would a cracker. Leftovers are delicious over a taco salad too. Instructions are listed in the recipe card.

Poblano Pork Stew over Tomatillo Rice

Tortilla straw tip: To make these straws puffy, you have to use uncooked tortillas. I love using our Jalapeno Tortilla recipe for this. If you don’t use uncooked tortillas, you will have flat tortilla strips. They’re delicious too and can be made the same way.

Don’t have time to make it now? Pin it for later!

Close up angle view of a white plate layered with green tomatillo rice topped with chunks of pork, tomato, avocado, and cilantro with the title banner \"Green Chili Pork Stew\" across the top of the photo.

If you like this recipe, I think you’ll like these too

Products that I use to make Green Chili Pork Stew

  • Dutch Oven – I have several enameled cast-iron dutch ovens. I started out with a few that cost about 4 times what this one does and it’s my favorite! I make my sourdough bread in it and it’s perfect for soups, stews, and so many other things. It cleans up like a dream too!
  • Cutting Board – I use a plastic cutting board for meat so I can sanitize it in the dishwasher. I like the juice groove when cutting meat too.
Close up angle view of a white plate layered with a green tomatillo rice topped with chunks of pork, tomato, avocado and cilantro.

Green Chili Pork Stew over Tomatillo Rice

Author: Hostess At Heart
Green Chili Pork Stew is full of flavor and has a deliciously warm kick. Served over Tomatillo rice makes it a complete meal. This Spicy Pork Stew can be made in a crockpot or on top of the stove.
4.93 from 13 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Main Dish, Mexican
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword: Poblano, Poblano Pork Stew, Pork Stew, Tomatillo Rice
Servings: 12

Ingredients
  

Stew

  • 3-4 lb pork butt shoulder cubed into 1-1 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 yellow onion large
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups poblano peppers diced approximately 4 peppers
  • 1 tbsp ancho chili powder
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp Mexican oregano
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 28 oz tomatillos can, pureed. *Reserve 1-1/2 cups for rice
  • 14.5 oz diced fire roasted tomatoes with juice
  • 32 oz chicken stock divided. *Reserve 1 cup for rice
  • 2 cups roasted corn measured not 16 oz (Can use unroasted corn)
  • 15 oz black beans
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Garnishes of choice such as avocado tomato, cilantro, cheese.

Tomatillo Rice

  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 1 1/2 cups tomatillos pureed
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 tsp butter

Tortilla Straws

  • 2 tortilla shells raw (uncooked) variety.
  • Ancho chili powder
  • Salt
  • Non-stick cooking spray or oil

Instructions
 

  • Puree tomatillos with juice. Measure out 1 1/2 cups and set aside.
  • Drizzle a large (7 – 9 quart) dutch oven or stock pot with olive oil. Heat over medium-high and cook cubed pork in batches. Salt and pepper each batch. Be sure not to crowd. Brown each side and transfer to a plate or bowl.
  • Add additional olive oil if necessary and brown onions and poblano peppers (about 5 minutes). When slightly softened, add garlic, ancho chili powder, cumin and Mexican oregano. Cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add pork back to the pan and add pureed tomatillos (*all but 1 1/2 cups) chicken stock (*all but 1 cup), and diced tomatoes. Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Simmer for 1 hour. Add corn and beans and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

Tomatillo Rice

  • Add 1 1/2 cups pureed tomatillos and 1 cup chicken stock to a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add rice and two teaspoons of butter. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook 35 to 40 minutes or until liquid is almost absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Rice will continue to absorb liquid as it sits.

Tortilla Straws

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray both sides of each tortilla with non-stick cooking spray or brush with oil. Sprinkle with ancho chili powder and salt. Cut into strips (a pizza cutter works great). Place tortilla strips on an oiled baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
  • Serve Poblano Pork Stew over rice. Top with garnishes and tortilla straws.

Notes

Tomatillo Rice recipe can be made in an instant pot as demonstrated here

Nutrition

Calories: 343kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 29gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 284mgPotassium: 962mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 555IUVitamin C: 31.4mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 4mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

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Recipe Rating




Deanna

Tuesday 17th of April 2018

YUM! This POBLANO PORK STEW OVER TOMATILLO RICE looks so yummy and filling!!! Perfect for this weekend's dinner!

Julie Menghini

Monday 23rd of April 2018

I made it again just two weeks ago for company and they loved it. We loved having it for leftovers during the week too!

Michaela Kenkel

Monday 16th of April 2018

There isn't anything about this I don't love!! Pure comfort!

Julie Menghini

Tuesday 17th of April 2018

Thank you Michaela!

Jennifer A Stewart

Monday 16th of April 2018

This stew looks amazing but that tomatillo rice is just genius! I am going to use that for everything now!!

Julie Menghini

Tuesday 17th of April 2018

Thanks, Jen! It is so good and I'll definitely be making my rice this way from now on.

Christie

Monday 16th of April 2018

I wish the hubs liked tomatillos. He's not a hugs fan of the tartness they can bring to a dish. I love them. This looks so good!

Julie Menghini

Tuesday 17th of April 2018

I think recipes that use them like salsa are definitely an acquired taste. This recipe doesn't have that tartness just that great Mexican combination of flavors.

Ashlyn

Monday 16th of April 2018

Oh my all of these flavors sound sooooo good together. And I have TOTALLY done the same thing, buying something for a recipe and totally forgetting about it! I have a jar of maraschino cherries in my pantry right now for the same reason! ;) Can't wait to try this one, Julie! It's making my mouth water!

Julie Menghini

Tuesday 17th of April 2018

Hmmm maraschinos would be a little harder for me? Thank you Ashlyn, we really loved this one!

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